Over Agressive Clown Loach! HELP!!!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

whitexboii

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 14, 2007
97
1
0
35
Edmonton Alberta Canada
Yes i know this is a re-post but i was told that ewurm would see it here and hopefully be able to help me a.s.a.p. as time is a factor. So yeah, ewurm, i hope you are reading this:headbang2

I was just wondering if anyone has an idea of why this clown loach is acting this way, and if there is anything i can do to stop it. In the tank i have a black ghost knife, 2 other clown loaches, an algae eater and an albino rainbow shark. The one clown loach is agressively chasing all of the fish, the algae eater is the only one fighting back. The loach actually attacks the ghost knife and the poor knife is almost at the point of death, his fins are all tattered and shredded... I don't understand why this loach has recently become so agressive. Help please! I have never seen, nor heard of a clown loach acting this agressive... The loach is rougly 3 - 3.5 inches in size.

Would the loach be ok if i put him in a tank full of mbuna? Some of the fish in there are: acei cichlid, bumblebee cichlid, red devil, demasoni, etc. I don't think it would be a good idea but hopefully you experts will be able to tell me for sure!

Thank you for all your help in advance!
 
I would add a few larger loaches. I had a mean loach just wanted to fight, added like 6 more larger ones. He fought lost and chilled out.

Also have a mean loach in my big tank she has grown from 1" to 7" in one
year and taking over the tank. She is a pig and chases all the other stunted loaches away from the food, till after she eats..

Maybe you have 3 male loaches.
 
Like Druu said...make sure they have lots of places to hide, so they feel more comfortable. You need to add a few more loaches, maybe 3 more, to put you up to 5.

What are you feeding them, how often and what size tank?

I would not put them in with the cichlids. They will usually end up stressing out the loaches.
 
the tank isn't big enough to add anymore loaches, infact, they are only in that tank until i am able to buy a bigger one. the tank is only 30 gallons, so i don't think adding more loaches is an option right now. i feed them bloodworms, mine seem to be picky and won't eat anything else. the odd time they eat frozen brine shrimp. there are 3 different tubes to hide in, a cave and a corner of the tank that is heavily planted that they seem to like hiding in. i feed them twice a day
 
Gothyc_samurai;1553087; said:
you want to add a botia modesta, thatll kick that lil *****es ass :)
That is not going to work. They're worse than clown loaches. There are plenty other solutions than adding another aggressive loach to level the current one.
 
I would actually get more loaches. They seem to be much less aggressive in larger numbers.
 
Yea. I agree with ewurm. They prefer to be in larger numbers so that one cl might be acting out because he is uncomfortable. Get a couple more and the group dynamic should fall into place.
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com